Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Calli Nguyen. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Calli, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you’ve thought about whether to sign with an agent or manager?
Signing with my agency, Amsel, Eisenstadt, Frazier & Hinojosa (AEFH) Talent Agency, was an accomplishment I never saw myself achieving. For most of my life, it was characterized by studying medicine to become a physician but I think I gave so much of myself to reaching this goal that I never realized what other potentials I could have outside of science. This then led me to pursue more of my creative outlets through acting, modeling, and content creating. When reflecting and researching why I should sign with AEFH Talent, our values greatly aligned. What I strive for in anything I do in life, whether it be regarding medicine or my creative side, is to create of sense of inclusion through diversity and passion. Inclusivity and diversity in the entertainment industry were important values for both me and my agency. Specifically, I stressed to my agency how vital it was for me to be able to be a representative for young Vietnamese creatives in the AAPI community and we have been working together for almost a year to fulfill just that and many more feats!
Calli, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Yes, absolutely! I’m Calli Nguyen and I was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. I just graduated from a post-baccalaureate program at Baylor College of Medicine, where I was studying Biomedical Sciences and Health Equity. I am currently a graduate student at Louisiana State University Shreveport Online where I am pursuing my Master’s degree in Health Administration. I hope to become a physician in the future as well as continue my passions of being a working actress, model, and social media content creator. Growing up in a low-income, Vietnamese immigrant family and being a first-generation student, I was always ambitious and driven by the pursuit of the American Dream. I was the first person in my family to graduate from college in hopes to attend medical school thereafter. I graduated from Louisiana State University (Geaux Tigers!) with a dual degree in Biological Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies with three minors in Kinesiology, Psychology, and Business Administration. Louisiana continues to be ranked one of the lowest in health and education and I have witnessed first-hand the difficulties that come from disadvantaged backgrounds. I have been working diligently in my studies to hopefully advocate for better healthcare and lifestyles for low-income families and other marginalized groups.
Although I love being a woman in STEM, I believe it’s crucial to enjoy other interests outside of medicine to allow yourself a break from the studying and clinical/lab experiences. After I graduated from LSU, I opened up the door to acting by enrolling in David Deluise’s celebrity-based acting program, Actors Giving Back (AGB) Studios. I had no prior acting experience whatsoever and purely continued this journey off of vibes. It turned out that I was really good at acting, as I received the most callbacks from different agencies and now I am signed to one of the top agencies in Los Angeles – AEFH Talent Agency. My love for acting immensely grew as it was such a versatile world – I was able to leave behind who I was and have a new life for 2 minutes, or I could utilize the excitement, happiness, hurt, or pain I felt at that moment in my life and reflect those expressions into this new character.
On a production set I worked on in New Orleans, I caught the attention of one of the photographers who later asked me to be a model for one of his photoshoots. Like acting, I loved being in-front of the camera then seeing myself portrayed in this beautiful and new light. Modeling helped me to feel more empowered and self-confident in a society where women often struggle to love themselves.
Social media content creation came into play because I’m practically glued to my phone and film anything and everything. With just my iPhone and iMovie at the age of 10, I ventured into the world of content creation producing travel vlogs, makeup hauls, Get Ready With Me videos, and mukbangs. I didn’t start consistently posting on social media until a year ago in June 2022. It wasn’t until October 2023 when I decided to take content creation seriously. Since then, my TikTok and Instagram accounts have experienced significant growth with my followers increasing from a mere 600 and 1,600 to an impressive 28K+ and 2.3K+, respectively.
My platforms showcase my unapologetic self as I navigate through life in my 20s, pursuing multiple academic and creative passions as well as exploring popular loves and hidden gems in Houston, New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and wherever else I travel. It’s important for me to show my true and genuine self on my platforms, as social media can heavily be the opposite. I am proud to be a representative for first-generation AAPIs. What I believe sets me apart from others is that I’m not afraid to push the envelope. Many of my followers look to me as inspiration for pursuing many passions, despite this not being normal in society. I also publicly share my breakdowns and details of me struggling with my mental health, despite the topic being taboo in society especially in Asian cultures. However, I know many others can relate to my journey – figuring out how to juggle multiple interests while normalizing mental health rather than ostracizing it.
To my potential clients and followers, I want to convey that my platforms are and continue to be a judgement-free, safe space, and growing community for inclusivity, diversity, and following whatever paths your heart desires. I’m still learning “how to life” in my early 20s, but I’d love for you to connect and network with me so we can figure out “how to life” together!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the impact my content and other work make on the lives of businesses, business owners, individuals, and communities. Before I even thought about my creative side and focused mainly on my journey of becoming a physician, I knew I wanted to have a substantial impact on the health and overall livelihood of those around me. Now that I get to do that with medicine and through my creative outlets, it gives me more motivation and push to continue pursuing these interests I’m extremely passionate about even when things get overwhelming. I love receiving messages from strangers thanking me for my content, that I’m an inspiration to them, and that I’m making the Vietnamese and AAPI communities proud.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
During my senior year of college and only three months before graduating, I lost my grandmother from post-op complications of her heart surgery. I remember being in the hospital room to watch her overnight, while the rest of my family had to quarantine from COVID-19 at home. I was finishing up my Vertebrate Physiology course and we had just learned about the cardiovascular system. I sat in the room and watched the heart monitor, understanding the majority of what I was analyzing which was pretty terrifying. The monitors would often beep as if there was a medical issue, my grandmother was often in atrial fibrillation, and I stayed up with her for most of the night hearing her in pain from the BIPAP machine. When my family lost her, I thought that was the most excruciating pain I could’ve ever felt but 16 days later, we found my uncle passed away from a drug overdose. This was the darkest time of my life – it was a struggle to get out of bed after sobbing myself to sleep the night before, I barely put anything into my body and I was seeking virtual emergency therapy appointments almost every other day. I started distancing myself from all my friendships and relationships, further becoming a former shell of myself. It wasn’t until finals week approached and the one thing I never quit was school – I was always an overachiever, striving for the highest grades. I started using my grandmother and uncle as motivation to get through finals. It was their dream to see me walk across the stage for graduation, so I needed to pull myself together for those last couple of weeks for not just them but also the betterment of my life. Fortunately, my grades allowed me to miss my final exams and still be able to graduate but I knew my past loved ones would be prouder of me if I graduated with all A’s so that’s exactly what I worked towards. Every time I wanted to quit studying and take the passing grade, I kept hearing my grandmother and uncle. My grandmother’s last words to me were, “That’s my granddaughter, my doctor” and my uncle always told me, “There’s my niece! The doctor of the family!” With those two thoughts, I was able to study hard and graduate from LSU with all A’s and two degrees in my last semester. Being a first-generation student has allowed me to have a true understanding of hard work and resilience in the face of adversity. As I pursue my career as a physician and creative, I aim to embody and exemplify these traits even more.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://callinguyen.weebly.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/calli_nguyen
- TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@calli_nguyen
Image Credits
Johnny Ngo James Randels